Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr. was in hot water recently after opening the university to students and faculty in the heat of the pandemic.
Now, Falwell—a devout supporter of President Donald Trump—is in the spotlight again for a questionable picture he uploaded to his Instagram before deleting it.
Beffudled Houston Chronicle reporter Robert Downen posted the photo to his Twitter account.
wut is happening pic.twitter.com/8iEOr9EeRQ
— Robert Downen (@RobDownenChron) August 3, 2020
The full image is below.
The photo features Falwell with his arm around a woman, their shirts lifted and pants unbuttoned. Falwell holds what appears to be wine, but what he labels as "black water."
The caption reads:
"More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that's just black water in my glass. It was a prop only."
Malachi O'Brien, a fellow of Falwell's Falkirk Center, originally claimed the photo was fake, before acknowledging its authenticity but decrying the context with which it was presented.
I deleted after I got more context on the photo. It was Jerry, so I was wrong.
It was a photo taken out of context of the other photos w/ it. Did you know that?
What it was was being used to imply is ungodly & seems to have been posted out of context for that reason. https://t.co/PRPNNuP6Ze
— Malachi (@malachiobrien) August 3, 2020
According to some on Twitter, the picture came from an attempted spoof of the characters Julian and Sarah from the Canadian television program Trailer Park Boys. Falwell deleted a video spoof of the show from his Instagram as well.
One Twitter account claiming to be run by a Liberty University alum said that if a Liberty student had posted a similar photo, they would've received disciplinary action.
Imagine posting this while living on the dorms.
This would have been at least one required meeting with the office of student leadership or Resident Director
I'm not for legalism, but I do think we should keep figureheads accountable for how they represent their community pic.twitter.com/UiTpnT5ENZ
— Give Me Liberty-Post Grad (@People_Of_LU) August 3, 2020
This wasn't the only account to take that position.
Drinking? Smoking? Possession of cigarettes/alcohol? Against the rules regardless of age. Could result in a “$300 fine, 30 hours community service, and/or expulsion."
Real people who could not afford the fines have been fined for this. Real people were kicked out for this. pic.twitter.com/1yjBxnIyFH
— Alexandra M. Green (@Alex_andra_MG) August 3, 2020
Pretty sure hypocrite is the Falwell middle name but do go on...
I can't think of a single university president that could post something like this on social media and still have a job. https://t.co/quzOAImDgK
— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) August 3, 2020
Regardless of the context, people were really confused.
Why do I never get invited to Liberty University's Trailer Park Boys yacht parties?
— An Unpublished Poetry Manuscript (@unpubd_poetry) August 3, 2020
It's interesting that Jerry Falwell felt the need to explain what he's drinking over the other more obvious issues here... pic.twitter.com/8WHLuvjcYe
— Jimmy Humphrey (@TableJimmys) August 3, 2020
I have questions. Starting with - why is this happening. Then - why did someone take a picture of it. Finally - why did they post it to social media. There are layers. LAYERS.
— Jandy Hardesty (@faithx5) August 3, 2020
The Jerry Falwell Jr. yacht photo is perhaps the strongest piece of evidence yet that the Protestant Reformation was a mistake.
— Matt G. Metcalf (@MattMetcalf) August 3, 2020
Most charitable interpretation I can come up with is the woman in the pic is pregnant (it's more obvious in that bizarre Trailer Park Boys video they posted) & this is some drunken "haha we both have huge beer guts!" gag pic.
— Nied (@BNiederer) August 3, 2020
People wouldn't stop roasting Falwell either.
roses are red
some picnics have ants
what the hell's up
with falwell's open pants pic.twitter.com/qw5Wxduf70
— Adam Weinstein (@AdamWeinstein) August 3, 2020
Jerry Falwell Jr challenge pic.twitter.com/cpPV5YbxEq
— lil ugly dude (@1PettySoul) August 3, 2020
Falwell hasn't issued a clarification on his Instagram.